The Luffs made a perfect start with a goal from Mitchell Gibbons only to be pegged back at half time to 1-1.

The second half was quite an even game, Loughborough’s second goal came from Rito Acierno, with only 15 minutes to go and they were on track to be in the final until two quick goals from Anstey shattered their dreams.

Loughborough Emmanuel U11s 2 Allestree Colts U11s 1

ANOTHER Saturday saw another narrow Emmanuel victory in the league.

Playing against the wind, Adams, Siddiqi, Al Zubayel, Duxbury, goalkeeper Stanton and the outstanding Elliott formed a tight defensive unit and kept a first half clean sheet.

With Tourki and Al-jaf prompting from midfield, Maden and man of the match Craig made several threatening breaks and a parried Craig shot was slotted home by top scorer Hart to give the home side a 1-0 half time lead.

With the wind behind them, Bancroft, Walters and Natrass could all have added to the lead in the second period.

Captain Al-jaf covered every blade of grass on the Derby Road pitch and he produced a sensationally cool finish to recover the lead that had been lost to a breakaway Allestree equaliser.

In their first season of competitive football, the Church team now move level fourth in Division One of the Derby City League.

Loughborough Emmanuel U16s 1 West Hallam U16s 2

LOUGHBOROUGH Emmanuel could not quite pull off a shock in the final of the Derby City League Challenge Cup as Division One leaders West Hallam took the honours.

For the West Hallam players it was their fifth successive cup final, for the Emmanuel lads who are second in Division Two it was their very first, and this lack of experience perhaps showed in the first 15 minutes as West Hallam looked the more composed outfit and took a two goal-lead - the first a nicely-worked goal, the second a fluke.

Emmanuel might have been forgiven for caving in, but they regrouped, dug in, and started to produce some excellent passing football.

Walker was influential as was the tireless Pownall on the right and the giant Aning up front. Emmanuel created a string of half-chances, the best of which fell to the pacey Allard whose fine shot hit the side-netting.

Then Smithson cleverly dispossessed a West Hallam defender to go one-on-one with the keeper whom he coolly beat with a fine finish as Emmanuel went on to dominate the rest of the half.

West Hallam returned to the pitch to produce a spell of football that was of the highest quality.

For much of the second half Emmanuel were on the back foot and had to defend well but this they did comfortably enough, with Riman commanding at centre-half and Large busy in the holding role,

Emmanuel restricted West Hallam to just one real strike on goal which Day did well to save.

Smithson and the excellent Schad hobbled off with injuries but their replacements, Cole and Taylor, gave fresh impetus to Emmanuel as they went to three at the back, sent Sharp forward, and made a final push for the equalizer.

With a minute or two to go, Sweet made space on the edge of the box before producing a spectacular 25- yard strike which was flying into the top right-hand corner of the goal only to be palmed away at the last moment as the West Hallam keeper pulled off a stunning save.

Soon after that the whistle went and Emmanuel had to be content with runners-up medals.